Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
In the Vossen house, every move could be your last. Fourteen-year-old chess whiz Ruby must navigate a “deliciously dysfunctional” family to solve a crime at her grandmother’s estate. Combining the tension of a high-stakes chess match with a modern Cinderella twist, this gripping story explores the power of choosing your own allies and outsmarting the “villains” in your own home.
Your past is in your blood. Forensic fellow Sloan Hastings discovers her DNA matches a famous missing infant from thirty years ago. As she digs into her true identity, she uncovers a powerful family determined to keep their secrets dead and buried.
School is a blast literally. Math whiz Ben Ripley is recruited for a top-secret CIA academy. The catch? He’s actually bait for a double agent. Packed with gadgets, “misadventures,” and plenty of humor, this series opener proves that being a hero takes more than muscle it takes a mind for math and the courage to survive your own awkwardness.
Sometimes you have to die to learn how to live. Overly-cautious Finn becomes a ghost after a tragic accident. Alongside his new friend Isabella, Finn solves the mystery of his death while discovering that living in fear is the biggest risk of all.
Step back into a time before iPhones, where the woods were a kingdom and siblings were your best (and worst) friends. The oldest of nine children shares hilarious and heartfelt stories of growing up in the 1950s. With quick chapters and real family photos, it’s the perfect “mentor text” for young writers looking to turn their own memories into stories.